Introduced Version
House Bill 4479 History
| Email
Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 4479
(By Delegates Cowles, Eldridge, Stowers,
J. Miller, C. Miller, Phillips, Lawrence, Mahan,
Hatfield and Hall)
[Introduced February 12, 2010
; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §49-2-12a, relating
to establishing a bill of rights for children in foster care.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §49-2-12a, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2. STATE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PROTECTION AND CARE OF
CHILDREN.
§49-2-12a. Foster child's bill of rights.
(a) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to be
cherished by a family of his or her own, either his or her family
helped by readily available services and support to resume his or
her care, or an adoptive family or, by plan, a continuing foster
family.
(b) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to be
nurtured by foster parents who have been selected to meet his or her individual needs, and who are provided services and support,
including specialized education, so that the child can grow in its
ability to enable the child to reach his or her potentiality.
(c) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to
receive sensitive, continuing help in understanding and accepting
the reasons for the child's own family's inability to take care of
him or her, and in developing confidence in his or her own self
worth.
(d) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to
receive continuing loving care and respect as a unique human being.
(e)Every child in foster care has the inherent right
to be a
child growing in trust in himself, herself and others.
(f) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to grow
up in freedom and dignity in a neighborhood of people who accept
him or her with understanding, respect and friendship.
(g) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to
receive help in overcoming deprivation or whatever distortion in
his or her emotional, physical, intellectual, social and spiritual
growth may have resulted from his or her early experiences.
(h) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to
receive education, training and career guidance to prepare for a
useful and satisfying life.
(i) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to
receive preparation for citizenship and parenthood through
interaction with foster parents and other adults who are consistent role models.
(j) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to be
represented by an attorney-at-law in administrative or judicial
proceedings with access to fair hearings and court review of
decisions, so that his or her best interests are safeguarded.
(k) Every child in foster care has the inherent right to
receive a high quality of child welfare services, including
involvement of the natural parents, where appropriate, and his or
her own involvement in major decisions that affect his or her
life.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish a bill of
rights for children in foster care.
§49-2-12a is new; therefore it has been completely
underscored.